Method and an apparatus for the production of crimped synthetic filaments

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a method for the production of crimped endless filaments of synthetic high-molecular weight polymers by fixing the crimp by twist displacement which comprises twisting two filaments by means of a cording spindle.

United States Patent Scherzberg et al.

[ Feb. 1, 1972 [54] METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CRIMPED SYNTHETIC FILAMENTS [72] Inventors: Herbert Scherzberg; Herbert Neumann; Robert Schnegg; Theo Dietrich, all of Dormagen, Germany [73] Assignee: Farbentabriken Bayer Aktiengesellschaft,

Leverkusen, Germany [22] Filed: Aug. 12, 1969 [21] App]. No.: 849,377

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 2, 1968 Germany ..P 17 85 180.8

[52] US. Cl. ..57/34 HS, 57/157 TS '[51] Int Cl ..'.D02g l/02,D02g1/06 [58] Field of Search ..57/34, 34 HS, 51.3, 58.52,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,987,869 6/1961 Klein ..57/34 3,321,904 5/ 1967 Horvath et a1. 57/34 X 3,327,462 6/1967 Wyatt ..57/34 3,355,872 12/1967 Gilcnst et al ..57/34 X 3,382,657 5/1968 Horvath ..57/34 2,881,504 4/1959 Billion ..57/34 UX Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Attorney-Plumley and Tyner 57 ABSTRACT I This invention relates to a method for the production of crimped endless filaments of synthetic high-molecular weight polymers by fixing the crimp by twist displacement which comprises twisting two filaments by means of a cording spindle.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED rsa uazz 313383110 sum 2 or 2 I I FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

HERBERT SCUERZBERG, HERBERT NEUMANN, ROBERT SCHNEGG, THEO DIETRICH METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CRIMPED SYNTHETIC FILAMENTS The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for crimping endless filaments from synthetic high-molecular weight polymers, in which a permanent crimp is produced by twist displacement.

When two filaments are twisted and then fixed in the twisted state, it is well known that a permanent crimp can be produced by twist displacement. This twist can be produced in two different ways. In both cases an auxiliary spool is required. In one method of applying the filament, 5,000 turns of one filament of titre dtex 22 (20 den), for example, are wound onto an auxiliary spool without severing the filament. The second filament, which is to be twisted together with the first filament, is then threaded through the axis of the auxiliary spool and both filaments are doffed over the top. This doffing of the filament over the top of the auxiliary spool causes the twist to be applied to both filaments. In the other process of applying the filaments, both filaments are wound onto the auxiliary spool, and the twist is produced by doffing over the top. Both devices have the disadvantage in that no variation in the twist is possible while the filaments are running. I

A method for the production of crimped endless filaments of synthetic high-molecular weight polymers has now been found, which comprises twisting two filaments and fixing the crimp by twist displacement, and which is characterized in that the twist is produced by means of a cording spindle.

In this method one may work from the spinning spool, and the material may be stretched at the same time, thereby reducing production cost. An apparatus for carrying out the process is illustrated in FIG. 1.

The filament from the spool (1') inside the cording spindle (2) is twisted together with the filament 4 from the spool (3') outside the cording spindle at the pivot (6) as long as the cording spindle rotates. The delivery mechanism (7) carries the two filaments to the machine which performs the stretching and twisting operations.

In a den filament of polyamide 6, for example, 3,000 twists per meter are necessary to produce a required crimped effect. By rotating the cording spindle 3,000 times, the two 20 den filaments of polyamide 6 are twisted together with 3,000 twists. The cording spindle is then stopped. This rotation of the cording spindle may take place with the filaments either stationary or running. Crimping is then carried out by the separate twisting process, by shifting the twist in a manner known per se. If the twists are too high or too low for the required crimped effect, twists can be added or subtracted during the separated twisting process by rotating the cording spindle clockwise or anticlockwise. The same process may be carried out if it is necessary to reduce the twist because the filament tension is too high.

By using cording spindles for twisting two filaments, the required twist can be produced. Moreover, it can be varied during the separated twisting process according to the thread tension and the crimped effect. This constitutes a great practical advantage in the production of crimped yam by the separate twisting process, especially when the process is carried out from the spinning spool.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show in section and elevational view devices for carrying out the separate twisting process from the spinning spool.

In FIG. 1, the stretching process is carried out separately from the crimping process,

Whereas in FIG. 2 the stretching and crimping processes are combined.

The creel 15 contains the spinning spools 3 and l. The cording spindles 2 are staggered so that every second spinning spool is associated with a cording spindle. The spinning spools which belong together are mounted on either side of the creel. The cording spindle is driven by a tangential drive belt 14. In the apparatus according to FIG. I, in which the stretching and crimping process are carried out separately, the filaments 4 and 5' are carried from the spinning spools l' and 3' side by side during operation, through the stretching mechanism between the delivery devices 13 and 7', and then to the upper separating pin 16', in the twisted state, and then through the fixing in the heater l0, and then separated from each other at the lower separating pin 8, and each filament is then drawn off via the delivery mechanism 9 and 10, respectively, and then wound on the ring twisting spindles 11 and I2, respectively. During operation, the upper separating pin 16' is pushed between the two moving filaments 4 and 5' so that'the twist which was imparted to both filaments by the cording spindle, and which accumulates at the lower separating pin 8', is compressed into a limited length. In FIG. 2, where stretching and crimping is combined, the delivery mechanism 13' is omitted. Stretching takes place in the crimping zone between the delivery mechanisms 7 and 9.

In the method according to the invention, and the apparatus for producing crimped filaments by the separate twisting process, the twist is thus introduced into the filaments by means of cording spindles, and the twist applied can be varied clockwise or anticlockwise during the separate twisting process by rotation to the left or to the right, and the stretching field and crimping field can be combined. The creel is equipped alternately with driven cording spindles and the drive for the cording spindles is so arranged that the two sides of the machine can be driven either separately or simultaneously. The following examples illustrate more particularly the invention.

EXAMPLE I The process as carried out in the apparatus with a separate stretching part and a separate crimping part (FIG. I).

Two spools 1 and 3 of unstretched polyamide 6 of titre 20 den are mounted in the creel 15. The spool 1' is placed in the cording spindle 2' which is not rotating. The filament 4 from the spool 3 is threaded through the inside of the spool 3', suspended in the rotating part of the cording spindle 2', and combined with the filament 5' from the spool I. With cording spindle 2 stationary, the two filaments are now together carried over the deflector 6' through the delivery mechanism 7' and stretching mechanism 13' and past the upper separating pin 16 which is folded outwards, and through the heating elements 10. The filament 4' runs past the right side of the separating pin 8' to the delivery mechanism 9' with winding spindle 11, and filament 5' runs past the left side of the separating pin and through the delivery mechanism 10' tothe winding spindle 12. When the machine starts, the two filaments which lie side by side, but are not yet twisted together, are stretched between 7' and 13'.

Three thousand revolutions per meter are required to'texture or crimp the filaments, by the separating twisting process, for filaments of titre 20 den. At a given constructional length of 800 mm. between the upper and the lower separating pin, therefore, the two filaments 4' and 5 have to be twisted together with 2,400 twists.

By rotating the cording spindle 2 2,400 times, the two filaments are twisted together at the deflection point 6'. The twist runs with the two moving filaments and accumulates at the lower separating pin 8 since the two filaments 5' and 4 run past the right side and left side, respectively, of the lower separating pin 8'. After 2,400 revolutions of the cording spindle 2', the spindle is stopped and the upper separating pin 16 is moved in between the filaments 4' and 5' so that the required twist is confined to a definite length between the two separating pins. The two filaments 4' and 5' run side by side to the upper separating pin 16' and from there in the twisted state to the lower separating pin 8 and from there separately via their delivery mechanism 9' and 10' to the ring twisting spindles 11' and 12'. The twist is fixed by heating elements 10' between the upper and the lower'separating pin.

EXAMPLE 2 The process as carried out in the apparatus with a combined stretching and crimping part (FIG. II).

In this variation, the separate stretching mechanism is omitted since stretching and crimping are combined. The spools l and 3 are mounted on the creel 15 in such a way that the spool 1 enters the stationary cording spindle 2. As already described above, the filaments 3 and 4 lie parallel side by side as they are doffed into the delivery mechanism 7 and from there they move past the upper separating pin 16 which is swing outwards and through the heating element and, as already described, past the left and right side, respectively, of the lower separating pin 8 and through the delivery mechanisms 9 and 10, which also act as stretching mechanisms, to the winding spools 11 and 12. Rotation of the cording spindle 2 through 2,400 revolutions while the filaments are running causes the twists in the filaments to accumulate in the region of the lower stretching pin 8. At the same time, the two filaments are stretched together. When 2,400 revolutions have been reached, the upper separating pin 16 is folded inwards so that with a distance of 0.8 m. between the pins, both filaments have 2,400 twists.

What we claim is:

1. in the method for the production of crimped endless filaments of synthetic high-molecular weight polymers which comprises twisting two filaments together and fixing the crimp in a fixing zone, the improvement which comprises conducting the two unstretched filaments through a cording spindle, increasing or decreasing the amount of twist in said filaments by rotating the cording spindle during the passage of said filaments to said fixing zone, stopping the cording spindle and thereafter transferring the twisted filaments into a fixing zone.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unstretched filaments are twisted at the beginning of the crimping process, and the twist runs with the moving filaments through the stretching zone into the fixing zone where it accumulates.

3. In an apparatus for producing crimped endless filaments the improvement which comprises a creel consisting of a nonrotating spool and a rotatable cording spindle which spindle includes a second spool and doffing means for doffing the twisted filaments from the creel, and means for fixing said twisted filaments. 

1. In the method for the production of crimped endless filaments of synthetic high-molecular weight polymers which comprises twisting two filaments together and fixing the crimp in a fixing zone, the improvement which comprises conducting the two unstretched filaments through a cording spindle, increasing or decreasing the amount of twist in said filaments by rotating the cording spindle during the passage of said filaments to said fixing zone, stopping the cording spindle and thereafter transferring the twisted filaments into a fixing zone.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unstretched filaments are twisted at the beginning of the crimping process, and the twist runs with the moving filaments through the stretching zone into the fixing zone where it accumulates.
 3. In an apparatus for producing crimped endless filaments the improvement which comprises a creel consisting of a nonrotating spool and a rotatable cording spindle which spindle includes a second spool and doffing means for doffing the twisted filaments from the creel, and means for fixing said twisted filaments. 